When Should You Prune Your Trees?

Months after your tree’s branches and limbs have become stripped of their fresh bark due to a long winter, one thing you can always be sure of is that Spring is just around the corner. The transition into Spring brings fresh air and a wonderful welcome to a new and brighter season.

Beneath the newly arrived Spring season, your trees will require some attention. You will want to make sure they still have a healthy rooted foundation and base. Acquiring the knowledge necessary to maintain the health of your trees and give them what they need to thrive for years will be the key to their growth. Some common questions arise from homeowners regarding when the right time is to prune or trim their trees, and also how.

When will always depend on the weather and when the season begins to transition into another. Normally, trees will require an optimal pruning or trim between Fall and Spring. Depending on where you live, usually October or November will be a good time to do it or get someone who is trained to have this done. If you opt to have them pruned prior to Spring the following year, again depending on your location, April or May is typically a good time for this. Talking to your local arborist or tree service and asking the right questions will provide you with enough information to become confident in your decision. Some trees only need a good pruning once every 3 to 5 years before the next one is needed, but it will usually be dependant of the size of the tree and its current level of health which can easily be determined by an arborist.

The reason that specific timing is a factor when pruning trees is because trees are dormant as they begin to experience the colder environment of winter. This temporarily inhibits their natural growth patterns, making them inactive which actually aids in the creation of an ideal setting for pruning after the season. If you choose to prune the trees once the growth process has begun, the tree will be limited and cause the potential for growth the following year far less hopeful. During the winter, the ground becomes a lot denser and increases in hardness due to freezing and compacting. This provides tree professionals better access to the trees and with it being naked or bare, it makes branches and limbs a lot easier to manage.

There are plenty of facts and stats that show the right time and season for pruning trees, but you can start by contacting a professional to help you learn more. The important points to note are that the benefits of pruning your trees at the right time are pruning trees amidst the dormant time of year helps them maintain their health and will promote future growth. Other good news for homeowners is that doing this will save money and time in the long run by preventing disease in the trees which may result in tree removal, which can be very expensive.

Thank you to a local tree removal Regina arborist professional who provided us with a few tips mentioned in the article today.